Car-coupling.



A. A. Mess.

` ,GAR couPLlKNG.

APPLICATION FILEDOCT. li' 1916.

1.2285691. Patented June 5,1917.

J 'Witnesses 32] In 1mg?" n A. A. MOSS.

CAR couPLlNG.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. Il, 1915 1,208,691 Patented June 5,1917.

ann srarns ramena cierren.

ALBERT AUGUSTUS MOSS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS J'. WALTER, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 5, 1917.

Application filed October 11, 1916. Serial No. 125,070.

To all 'whom z'' may concern Be it lmown that ALBERT AUoUs'rUs Moss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to car couplers, and is particularly an improvement over the car coupling disclosed in my Patent No. 7 58,268 granted April 2G, 190%.

It is the object of the invention to improve the coupling in its details to enhance the utility and efficiency thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for moving the dog or detent to unlocking position and for swinging the knuckle to unlocking position.

W ith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a plan view of the .improved coupler showing the knuckle in unlocked position, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an end View showing the knuckle in the act of being unlocked.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the knuckle in locked position, parts being broken away.

Fig. 1- is a bottom view of the locking dog or detent.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the knuckle.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a modification. Fig. 9 1s a `sectional detail showing another modification.

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of still ann locking position. The head 1 is provided at its other side opposite the wing 3 with outstanding upper and lower ears i between which the knuckle 5 is swingably mounted by means of a vertical pivot pin 6 extending through the ears e and the opening or bore 7 of the knuckle, said pin being retained in place by a key, Cotter pin, or the like. The cars 1 are provided with outstanding stop lugs 8, and the knuckle 5 has arcuate stop lugs 9 movable along the'edges of the ears or butts i to contact with the lugs S when the knuckle is swung to unlocked position as seen in Fig. 1.

The knuckle 5 has the upper and lower buiiing and pulling arms 10 and 11 integral therewith and movable within the chamber 2. The free end of the upper arm 10 is provided with ratchet teeth 12 extending from the rear edge of said arm and facing toward the forward edge. Said end of the arm 10 is also provided with an oblique groove 13 extending from the forward edge of the arm 10 to the lower surface of said arm, while the free end of the arm 11 is provided with an outstanding cam lip 14 having its upper surface inclined and toothed, as at 15, said inclined toothed surface of the earn lip extending upwardly from the rear to the forward edge of the arm 11.

1n order to hold the knuckle in locking position as seen in Fig. 3, a dog or detent 16 has one end pivotally engaging a vertical pivot pin 17 slidable upwardly and downwardly through the bottom of the head, the dog 16 having a lower recess 16 receiving the upper end of the pin 17. The pin 17 is located at that side of the chamber 2 which has the wing 3. Said dog projects toward the opposite side and is provided fiush with its lower edge with an outstanding or forwardly projecting lip or lug 17, and the lower edge or surface of said dog and its lug 17 is provided with teeth 18 adapted to ride over the teeth 15. rllhe dog is further provided with a pin or finger 19 projecting from its forward face adjacent to its butt end above the lug 17 for engaging the groove 13 of the knuckle as will hereinafter more fully appear. The head l is provided between its bottom and back in rear of the dog 1G with a rib or lug 20 providing the raised shoulder 21 and the incline 22. The dog 16 is movable vertically with the clined caml22, as seen in Fig. 7, which willL serve to deflect the dog 16 rearwardly when elevated.

As a means for swinging the knuckle to unlocked position, an upwardly projecting arm 23 of a bell crank lever has its end Adisposed within the head 1 adjacent to that side toward which the arms 10 and 11 swing when the knuckle is moved to locking position, the elbow of the bell crank lever being u cruinec as a 2 etwe n a a-r oL efl l, t24l,bL e ai td pending ears or hangers 25 with which the head'is provided. The bottom of the head hasa slot 26 through which the arm 23 projects, and the lower arm 11 of the knuckle swings against the arm 23 when the knuckle is in locking position. The other arm 27 of the bell crank lever projects under the head 1, and a floating lever 28 has one end pivoted, as at 29, to the end of the arm 27 and is provided with a slot 30 receiving a stud or 'lug 31 carried by the pin 17 adjacent to its lower end. An extension 32 is hinged or pivoted to the other end of the lever 28, as at 82, and has pivoted thereto an upwardly projecting rod 83 provided with a handle at its upper end which can be manipulated from the deck, vestibule, or the like, for conveniently uncoupling the cars from'above. A suitable guide 3l can be provided for the vextension 32, which extension can extend at an angle from the lever 28.

When the extension 32, which provides a handle at one side of the car, is raised, either by grasping the extensionor handle 82 or pulling upwardly on the rod 33, the knuckle being held by the dog 16, will be prevented frein moving, and this will hold the lever 23-27, and the floating lever 28 being swung, will swing on the pivot 29 as a fulcruin, thereby raising the pin 17, which will in turn raise the dog 16, said dog being swung rearwardly by the cam 22 onto the shoulder 21. Then, after the dog has been .raised and swung rearwardly, the knuckle is released, and the bell crank lever can then be swung, 'the lever 28 now swinging upon the stud 21 as a fulcrum, since the pin 17 cannot move upwardly farther. rlhe bell crank lever being swung will swing Vthe knuckle outwardly to unlocking position.

,1n operation, when the angular knuckle 5 is in unlocked position, its arms 10 and 11 are swung forwardly in front of the dog` 16, vand said dog rests upon the bottom of the head 1 in front of the rib 20. Then, as the two cars or coaches are brought together, the knuckles of the two draw heads will be swung as usual into interlocked relation, thereby swinging the arms 10-11 rearwardly into the chamber' 2. Thus, as the Aarms 10 and 11 are swung rearwardly or inwardly, the cam hp 14C will engage under the lug 17 and bottom of the dog 16 and will thereby raise the dog to let the knuckle move to locking position and at the same time the dog will be forced rearwardly against the incline 22 by the free end of the arni 10, the finger 19 moving below the arm 10. Since the dog 16 is raised and moved rearwardly against the incline 22, it will tend to gravitate and in bearing against the incline 22 will be forced forwardly against the free end of the dog 10, so that the end of the dog snaps into engagement with the ratchet teeth 12 asv the knuckle swings to locking position. r1`his serves to prevent the knuckle swinging outwardly after once it is swung to or near locking position by the impact of the two cars or coaches. When the knuckle is swung completely to locking position, the arms 10 and 11 clear the dog 16 and said dog will therefore gravitatey onto the bottom of the head 1 and will be swung forwardly by the incline 22 to bring the free end of the dog into abutment with the forward edges of thearms 10 and 11, thereby securely holding the arms 10 and 11 against the opposite side of the head 1 with the knuckle in locked position.

To uncouple the cars or coaches, the lever 28 is swung to raise the pin 17, and this will raise the dog 16 and the dog in striking the cam 22 will be swung rearwardly onto the shoulder 21, whereby the lug 17 will be raised out of the path of the arm 11 while the linger 19 is raised to such a position as to be engaged in the groove 13 when the knuckle is swung to unlocked position. After the dog 16 is seated on the shoulder 22 to hold it in releasing position, a further movement of the lever 28 will swing` the arm 23 so as to throw the arm 10 outwardly from the chamber 2, thus swinging the knuckle to unlocking position and permitting the cars or coaches to uncouple. As the knuckle swings to unlocking position, the linger 19 of the dog 16 enters the groove 13 and is struck by the upper inclined or oblique wall of said groove which provides a cam, and as a result the finger 19 is swung slightly with the arm 10 and is forced downwardly under the teeth 12 of the arm 10, thereby moving the dog 16 ofl of the shoulder 21 onto the incline 22 as the knuckle is swung to unlocking position. This will place the dog 16 in position to engage the knuckle as above described when the knuckle is again moved to locking position. When `the finger 19 is engaged by the grooved porand since the knuckle is in motion, the teeth will pass the free end of the dog before said dog is swung completely oit' of the shoulder 21. rIhus, during the comparatively rapid swinging movement of the knuckle to unlocking position, it strikes the finger 19 in passing, but before the dog is moved to locking position, the teeth 12 will have passed the free end thereof. In this connection, it is to be observed that the rear or inner end of the' groove 13 is spaced from the second tooth 12 slightly less than the distance between the finger 19 and free end of the dog 1 6, whereby when the rear or inner end of the groove 13 moves past the finger 19, the teeth 12 will be slightly forwardly of the free end of the dog, to prevent the accidental locking of the knuckle during the unlocking thereof.

The teeth 18 of the dog and toothed surface 15 of the cam lip le are of advantage when the knuckle is in the act of moving to locking position. Should there be a tendency for the knuckle to swing toward unlocking position by the rebound of the cars or coaches after the impact, the toothed surface 15 in engaging the teeth 1S will cause the dog 16 to swing with the arm 11, and this will move the dog into engagement with the teeth 12 thereby successfully resisting such movement of the knuckle even though the engagement of the dog 16 with the ineline 22 is not sufficient to accomplish this result.

The present improvement incorporates some of the features of the structure shown in said patent, and may embody others thereof, and has the added details which enhance the utility and eihcieney of the device.

In Fig. 8, there is shown a compound lever for operating the coupling to effect the uncoupling of the cars. Thus, the rod 83 is pivoted to the extension 28 of the floating lever 28, and a hand lever 85 is provided having one arm connected in any suitable manner to the extension 28', whereby when the other arm of the lever 35, having the fulcrum 35', is depressed, the extension 28 is raised for moving the dog and knuckle to unlocking positions. In this form, the handle member is depressed whereas the handle member with the form shown in Figs. 2 and 6 is raised with the same results.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified means for accomplishing the same result, and is practically the same as that shown in the above mentioned patent. rI`he arm 23 is pivotally connected to the top of the head 1 and depends therein to contact with the arm 10 of the knuckle, and a chain 28 or other flexible element has one end connected to the arm 23 and its other end connected to the top of the dog 1G. A ring 33 engages the chain 28 and when raised pulls the chain so as to raise the dog 16 and swing it rearwardly, and then swing the arm 23 to move the knuckle to unlocking position.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, the lever 28 can be operated by a piston 50 working in a cylinder 51, and pressure fluid can be supplied to said cylinder for actuating the piston for uncoupling the cars.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a car coupler, a .pivoted knuckle having a cam and ratchet teeth, a dog mounted for swinging and vertical sliding movements and having a portion to be raised by said cam when the knuckle is swung to locking position, said portion in engaging said cam tending to swing the knuckle into engagement with said ratchet teeth should the knuckle tend to swing to unlocking position after being swung toward locking position.y

2. In a car coupler, a pivotally mounted knuckle having ratchet teeth and a cam provided with an upper inclined tooth surface, and a dog mounted for swinging and vertical sliding movements, said dog being engageable with said teeth to prevent the unlocking movement of the knuckle and having a toothed portion engageable with said surface of the caniduring the movement of the knuckle to locking position whereby to raise the dog and to swing the sam-c toward said teeth should the knuckle tend to move to engaging position.

3. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a dog mounted for swinging and vertical sliding -movements f within the draw head, the draw head having a shoulder for supporting said dog when raised and swung away from the knuckle and an incline for forcing the dog toward the knuckle when the dog is off of said shoulder, the knuckle having a cam for raising said dog, during the movement of the knuckle to locking position whereby the dog is moved against the incline, means for raising and swinging the dog onto said shoulder and then swinging the knuckle to unlocking position and interengageable portions carried by the knuckle and dog operable to swing the dog off of said shoulder during the unlocking movement of said knuckle.

4:. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a dog mounted for swinging and vertical sliding movements within the draw head, the draw head having a shoulder for supporting said dog when raised and swung away from the knuckle and an incline for forcing the dog toward the knuckle when the dog is 0E said shoulder, the knuckle having a cam for raising said dog during the movement of the knuckle to locking position whereby the dog is moved against the incline, means for raising and swinging the dog onto said shoulder and then swinging the'knuckle to unlocking position, the dog having a finger, and the knuckle having a cam portion engageable with said linger during the unlockingmovement of the knuckle to swing the dog oii of said shoulder.

5. In a car coupler, the draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto and having ratchet teeth and a cam, a dog mounted within the draw head for swinging and vertical sliding movements and having a portion adapted t0 be raised by said cam during the locking movement of the knuckle, the draw head having a shoulder and an'incline against whichthe dog is moved by said cam, the dog in engaging the incline tending` to gravitate and swing toward the knuckle to engage said ratchet teeth, means for raising and swinging the dog away from the knuckle onto said shoulder and then moving the knuckle to unlocking position, and interengageable portions carried by the knuckle and dog for moving the dog oii of said shoulder during the unlocking movement of the knuckle.

6. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto and having ratchet teeth and a cama dog mounted within the draw head, for swinging' and vertical sliding movements and having a portion adapted to be raised by said cam during the locking movement of the knuckle, the draw head having a shoulder and-an incline against which the dog is moved by said cam, the dog in engaging the incline tending to gravitate and swing toward the knuckle to engage said ratchet teeth, means for raising and swinging the dog away from the knuckle onto said shoulder and then moving the knuckle to unlocking positiomsaid portion oi' the dog being toothed and said cam having an upper inclined toothed surface to engage said portion whereby the knuckle in tending to move to unlocking position during the engagement of said cam with said portion will swing the dog into engagement with said teeth, said dog having a. finger, and the knuckle having a cam portion engageable with said finger for swinging the dog off of said shoulder during the unlocking movement of the knuckle.

7. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a dog mounted Jior swinging and vertical sliding movements within the draw head, a pin slidable in the draw head for raising the dog, a lever pivoted to the draw head and swingable to swing the dog to unlocking position, the draw head having an upper cam with which the dog' contacts when raised to swing it to releasing position, and means connected to said pin and lever for sliding the pin and swinging said lever.

8. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, va slidable dog within the draw head to hold the knuckle in locking position, a pin slidable in the head for sliding the dog with it, a lever pivoted to the draw head for swinging the knuckle to unlocking position, and means connected to said pin and lever for moving them in succession.

9. In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a slidable dog within the draw head to hold the knuckle in locking position, a pin slidable in the head for sliding the dog with it, a lever pivoted to the draw head for swinging the knuckle to unlocking position, and a floating lever connected to said pin and aforel0.-In a car coupler, a draw head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a dog within the draw head for holding the knuckle in locking position, said dog having a lower recess, a pin slidable through the bottom ot the draw head and received by said recess, means for swinging the dog to releasing position when it is raised, a lever ulcrumed to the bottom of the draw head and having' an upwardly projecting arm for swinging the knuckle to unlocking position, and a Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

said lever for operating them in succession. Y 

